


Ishimondo Week 2K19

by GauntletKnight



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Charlie is best girl, Cuddles, Established Relationship, First Kiss, Fluff, I also make a brief cameo on the last day, I uh..., Internalized Homophobia, JEDTAVIUS, Love Confessions, M/M, Musicals, TakaakixHiroko, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Underage Drinking, Valentine's Day, also stuck jedtavius in this, fite me, ishimaru gets hurt at one point but it's not as serious as you'd think, ishimondo - Freeform, ishimondo week, just a bit of Angst, leon and chihiro: best wingmen, light homophobia, mondo ur a mess, oneshots, takaaki is a good dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-25 11:25:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17724269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GauntletKnight/pseuds/GauntletKnight
Summary: 7 Days, 7 PromptsAll Ishimondo, and all tooth-rotting fluff





	1. Day 1: Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taka and Mondo go on a date to a cherry blossom festival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 of Ishimondo week! This whole thing was a challenge and I really hope everyone likes it!
> 
> This particular day ties back into my other fic, What We Could Have Been, but you don't have to have read that to enjoy. Not all of the oneshots will do that. Each of them can be read on their own and any warnings will be given in the opening notes.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

 

“Mondo,” Taka stood proudly in the living room of their small apartment, hands on his hips and nose raised in determination.  Mondo called it his ‘power pose’.  “Get dressed!  We’re going on a date today!”

 

Mondo raised an eyebrow from where he was sitting on the couch, cereal bowl perched in his lap.  Loud Saturday morning cartoons played on the TV.  “Wha? Why?”  It wasn’t the first time his boyfriend had sprung a date on him like this but…

 

Taka’s mouth split into a grin and his scarlet eyes sparkled.  “I’ll give you the directions when you’re ready to go.”

 

Without waiting for a confirmation, Taka turned on his heel and practically marched to the kitchen, leaving a very confused Mondo sitting on the couch in nothing but a white shirt and his favorite tiger-print boxers.

 

* * *

 

 

“Turn here,” Taka shouted in Mondo’s ear above the wind whipping around them.  He pointed to the right, and Mondo made the turn.

 

When they’d first started living together – just roommates, at first – Taka had been petrified of Mondo’s bike.  Mondo couldn’t even count the number of times he’d gotten the speech about wearing a helmet properly, but with time, Taka had eased into it.  Mondo liked to think that maybe the other rather liked riding with him.  _He_ certainly didn’t mind the warm arms wrapped around his middle as they sped through the city.

 

“Now continue straight!  We’ll be there soon!”  Mondo bit his tongue, trying to not retort that he couldn’t ‘continue straight’ if he was dating Taka.

 

Eventually, the tall city buildings, offices, and shops gave way to a park with lush green grass, a gentle river, and…sakura trees in full bloom.  A festival appeared to be in full swing underneath the trees laden with pink petals

 

“See if you can find a place to park!”  Taka sounded excited, and Mondo smiled softly. So, _this_ is what he had planned.

 

They parked the bike not too far away and made their way over to the park.  Taka seemed to be in particularly good spirits; holding Mondo’s hand and gently squeezing it as they walked.  Mondo vaguely wondered if the other had ever actually been to a cherry blossom festival like this.  Probably not, as it normally coincided with the start of the school season. 

 

The festival itself was spread out around the main road through the park.  Vendors were set up on either side, selling food, keepsakes, and the occasional touristy t-shirt.  Above the striped tents, trees with a deep black bark spiraled and curved in crooked patterns, showcasing the beautiful delicate white and pink blossoms they had produced.

 

Mondo hadn’t been to a sakura festival since he was little.  Daiya had brought him once when he was about 6 or 7, but he’d tried eating the pink petals off the ground, thinking they were some kind of wafer candy.  His bro hadn’t been too keen on bringing him back the next year, and after a while they were both too busy with the gang to come again.

 

He’d gone with Chihiro and Taka in high school to go look at Hope’s Peak’s cherry blossom trees when they’d bloomed.  They had made a tradition out of it; a yearly picnic to start off the school year.  More often than not, he’d usually end up falling asleep in the warm sunshine of early spring while Taka and Chihiro laughed and made flower crowns for each other.

 

Taka squeezed his hand and he looked down at the other man.  Ishimaru was looking up at him with gentle, loving eyes.  “You’re very handsome when you smile.”

 

Despite already dating for a year and a half now, Mondo still couldn’t handle sincere compliments.  He immediately felt his face redden and bowed his head.  “C’mon baby, don’t say sh- stuff like that.”

 

“Why not?  It’s true,” Taka lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of Mondo’s, forcing the other man to blush further.

 

“Ooo!  They’ve got takoyaki!  It smells so good!”  Taka pulled Mondo, who was still trying to recover his manly pride, over to one of the tents.

 

* * *

 

 

As it turned out, the festival Taka had brought them to was the one in Chiyoda, famously known for its river lined with sakura trees.  Families and couples could rent row boats and view the trees from the water.

 

After they’d eaten a quick lunch from the stalls, they made their way down to the riverside.  Taka paid for their boat – they’d have an hour on the water – and he and Mondo carefully boarded the small rowboat.

 

“Here, lemme row,” Mondo reached for the oars, but Taka gently slapped his hands away.

 

“Absolutely not!  This date was my idea, so I’ll row.”

 

“But you paid for the boat! Let me at least not feel like a total fucking moocher!”

 

“Mondo, you’re rocking the boat.”  As soon as Taka pointed it out, Mondo realized that he was, in fact, making the small boat rock precariously.  He huffed and crossed his arms.

 

Taka patted his shoulder.  “Please, let me do this.”

 

Mondo eventually conceded with a grumble, sitting down in the boat with a little more force than strictly necessary, causing the boat to rock again.  Taka sighed softly and sat opposite Mondo. 

 

Soon enough, and after crashing into a couple other boats trying to get away from the dock, they were on their way up the river.  The cherry blossom trees bent over the river as if it was a lover reaching out to caress the surface of a dear one.  Pink petals littered the water and swirled like stars as the oars cut through them.

 

Mondo had been a little agitated when Kiyotaka had first wanted to do everything for this date: buying the food, paying for the boat, rowing, but his temper had ebbed a bit as they glided across the water.  He was working on letting other people do things for him without thinking it meant they thought he was weak.  It was slow going, but he was proud of himself at the moment for not starting anything with his boyfriend who was trying really hard to give him a good date.

 

Neither spoke, just sat in comfortable silence enjoying the view and listening to the soft sound of water splashing every time Taka rowed, completely at ease in each other’s company.

 

At one point, Ishimaru accidentally rowed themselves into a low hanging branch.  He smacked his head lightly on the tree and a cascade of loose flower petals showered over them.

 

“Ah,” Ishimaru winced, rubbing the back of his head.  “That hurt.”

 

Mondo reached out for him, “Woah, Baby you ok?”

 

Ishimaru hummed and checked his fingers, presumably for any blood.  “Yes but at lea-“  He looked up and his concerned frown broke just a little when his eyes locked with Mondo’s.  He looked like he was trying to suppress a laugh.

 

“What?”

 

Ishimaru finally broke as Mondo gave him a perplexed look.  He started laughing loudly, his hands coming off the oars to hold his middle.  Mondo, while still thoroughly confused, smiled.  Taka had the kind of laugh that was contagious.  It didn’t come out often, but Mondo prided himself any time he managed to make his boyfriend laugh like this; without any reservations or sense of what was considered ‘common decency’. 

 

“Ah…heheheh…I’m so sorry y-you’ve got…haha…hold on,” Taka leant forward, still chuckling and swiped something off the end of Mondo’s nose.  When he held it out for the other to see what it was, the tiniest cherry blossom was perched at the end of his finger.

 

Mondo snorted and his smile widened.  “You’re such a dork.”

 

* * *

 

“Mondo.”

 

“Mmm?”

 

“Mondo, wake up.”

 

“Mnn…comfy.”

 

“I have cotton candy.”

 

Mondo sat up from where he had been lying in the grass, scattering the petals that had fallen on him while he was asleep.  “Mm?”  He turned to see Taka sitting next to him, rather smugly, with two bags of the sugary treat.  “Aw fuck yeah.”  Mondo reached over for a bag, which Taka gave him happily.

 

After they’d brought the boat back, Taka had suggested they find a spot on one of the hills leading down to the river and relax like they had back in high school.  Mondo had, immediately upon laying down, fallen asleep.  His nap though, seemed to have lasted a lot longer than he originally thought, as the sky was beginning to change colors from blue to orange and pink.

 

Mondo shifted and laid back down, cotton candy in hand, so his head was resting on Taka’s thighs.  He wiggled in a little bit, until he was comfortable and grinned when Taka gave him a look that said ‘really?’  Taka hummed and started to run his hands through Mondo’s hair.  He’d kept it long even after abandoning the gang-style pompadour he had been so proud of in high school. It gave him more time to sleep in the morning, and they saved a bunch of money that would have once been spent on hair spray or styling cream.  Plus, it gave him the opportunity to enjoy the feeling of Taka’s fingers methodically carding through his hair.

 

“Keep that up, and I’m gonna fall asleep on ya again,” Mondo joked as he pressed into the fingers like the lovesick fool he was. 

            

Taka hummed to himself, seemingly lost in thought.  “It’s just…I didn’t want to wake you.”  His voice got soft.  “You haven’t been sleeping lately…I know this time of year is hard for you.  So I…” he trailed off.

 

Mondo didn’t have to ask what he meant.  It was almost the anniversary of Daiya’s death.  And granted, it was also the anniversary of him going to therapy, but he was already starting to get nightmares again.

 

“I wanted to give you a good day for the spring.  Something that we can do every year if you want.”  Ishimaru looked out over the river, hand still gently stroking through Mondo’s hair.  “I know it’s selfish of me, but I wanted you to forget about it…even for just one day.”

 

Mondo sighed, and the two sat in silence for a moment.  The trees around them, strung with lights, were beginning to light up in various colors as the sun sunk further to the horizon.

 

“Hey, c’mere for a second,” Mondo requested.

 

“Mm?  What?”

 

Both pulling Ishimaru down and pushing himself up, Mondo softly slotted their lips together.  It was definitely more of a chaste kiss than what they normally went for, but Mondo needed Taka to know what it meant.

 

Thank you.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come yell at me @GauntletKnight on tumblr, or go see everyone else's work for this week @ishimondo-week


	2. Day 2: Pets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie is cute and the whole world knows it. Literally.

 

 

It wasn’t often Taka found himself down at the water cooler in the company break room.  He would have much rather spent his mandatory break looking into a new subject, maybe try to learn a new language.  Once Yuko had found him in his office saying ‘John rode the bus to work’ in English, she had practically dragged him out of the comfort of his office, citing that studying didn’t count as a “real break.”

 

So, here he was, standing awkwardly with a cup of lukewarm water in a paper cone.  He’d never been the best at socializing.  Still wasn’t if he was honest with himself.  Especially with new people.  Sure, he _knew_ his coworkers, but the most he knew about them was if they came into his office, HR, with a complaint or for disciplinary measures.  He had a feeling it wasn’t considered ‘casual conversation’ to ask if Sakurai-san had finally returned Kazato-san’s best pen.

           

The topic shifted again for the third time in the past fifteen minutes.

 

“Did you see that new post from CharliMalti?”  One of the women in the room asked.

 

Taka frowned.  That wasn’t even a word, but Yuko perked up.  “Yeah I did! Did you see the little coat?  It looked hand-sewn.”

 

The two women gushed over…whatever it was they were talking about for a while, until Taka finally decided to pipe up.  “What exactly is this?”

 

Yuko looked at him, shocked.  “You haven’t heard of CharliMalti?”

 

Taka hummed.  “Are they a new coworker? It’s a very interesting name…”

 

Yuko chuckled and shook her head.  “No!  Here, let me show you.”  She pulled out her phone, the case light blue with a smiling cloud.  With a few skillful taps, she turned her phone to show Taka, of all things, a dog.

 

It was a little white dog sitting in front of a tree at a park.  The dog was wearing a tiny puffer jacket, complete with a hood lined in faux fur.  The caption underneath the picture read _It’s going to be cold the next few days!  Need to stay warm!_ Followed by several snowflake emojis.

 

The dog was a Maltese, Taka recognized proudly.  He and Mondo owned one of their own, a mix that Mondo had picked up one day as a stray.  Her name was Charlie.  What a coincidence that this dog appeared to have the same name if the username was anything to go by.  Upon closer inspection, the account seemed to be doing quite well at just about 4 million subscribers.

 

“That is a very cute dog!  And you would be right to say the coat was handmade, but some of the stitching is a bit off.”  He pointed out some of the loose threads around the fur collar.

 

“Even so,” Yuko grinned, taking back her phone.  “Whoever runs the blog must be pretty dedicated to hand-make clothing for their dog!”

 

“It’s probably some millennial with too much time on their hands looking for some way to get paid without a job,” an older employee, Tanaka-san chimed in, unhelpfully.

 

Well, if that was the case, Taka definitely couldn’t support them.  However, he knew someone who would appreciate a cute picture of a dog.

 

* * *

 

 

Taka got home earlier that day than he had originally expected with the impromptu forced-break.

 

“Good evening Mondo, I’m home,” he called to the apartment.  “I have something to show you that I learned about at work today!  I think you’ll appreciate it.”

 

No response.  Hm, that was weird.  And Charlie hadn’t even come to greet him at the door with her tail wagging like she normally did every day.  Maybe they had gone on a walk?

 

Taka undid his boots and left them by the door, padding into the apartment.  He was about to start working on dinner when he heard Mondo’s voice filtering from the bedroom.  “You’re my special girl, aren’t you?  Yes!  Such a good girl for Daddy.  So fuzzy! Yes, you are!” 

 

Well that answered Taka’s question about where the two of them were.  With a soft smile, he started walking over to the bedroom to greet his small family.  Upon getting to the entryway to the bedroom however, he found himself at a loss for words.

 

“Now, would my baby girl like to wear the pink ribbon, or the red ribbon?”

 

Mondo was sitting, cross legged on the floor of the bedroom, Charlie sitting patiently in front of him, wagging her little tail.  She was dressed in a little argyle sweater and Mondo was holding up two small bows, pink and red.

 

The pieces fit into place immediately.  It wasn’t a coincidence at all.  ‘CharliMalti’ was _their_ Charlie, and the one behind the blog, who had made all those little pieces of doggy clothing was…

 

“Yeah, you’re right, the pink goes better with your fur.”

 

He’d been wondering why Mondo’s fingers were covered in bandages.  The older man had brushed it off as just being splinters from his carpentry apprenticeship, but now Taka knew better.

 

Mondo looked up and caught sight of Taka in the doorway.  He immediately froze like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.  Charlie yipped happily and scampered over to where Taka was, jumping up onto his leg, looking for pats.  With a fond sigh, Taka sat down and Charlie immediately climbed into his lap.  Mondo still hadn’t moved from where he was sitting.

 

“So,”  Taka started off.  “I heard our daughter is famous.”

 

If it was possible, Mondo got even redder.  “Y-you know about that?”

 

Taka nodded and scratched behind Charlie’s ears the way he knew she liked.  He’d originally been worried that no dog would like being put into clothing, but Charlie seemed rather fond of her sweater, making no moves to take it off or even itch at it.

 

“Your sewing could use some work though,” Taka commented as Charlie turned and laid down in his lap.  “Would you like some help?”

 

Mondo laughed and held up his hands, covered in little bandages.  “I would _love_ some help.  Oh!  Also, pink or red?”

 

“Pink.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was really excited for this day because I just thought it was the cutest thing ever.  
> Charlie you patient, patient girl.
> 
> Come yell at me @GauntletKnight on tumblr and see the other submissions for ishimondo week @ishimondo-week on tumblr.


	3. Day 3: Date Gone Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date gone wrong, but by whose opinion?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now for a startlingly small amount of Kiyotaka and Mondo  
> Chihiro uses he/him

 

 

“Uh…Kyoko, why are we doing this again?”

 

Without removing her eyes from the binoculars she was using, the detective replied, “I already told you Makoto.  I have a lot riding on this.  Not only money, but also my ability to read people.”

 

Makoto found himself at a loss for words.  “You bet _actual money_ on our friend’s love lives?” 

 

Kyoko smiled slyly, “You can’t say you don’t want them to get together.”

 

“Y-yeah, sure I do!  Everyone can tell how they feel about each other.”  Except the two in question, themselves, apparently.

 

Kiyotaka Ishimaru and Mondo Oowada had been dancing around each other for a while now.  No one in class 78 was quite sure when it happened, but sometime after becoming friends, the two young men had clearly developed feelings for each other.  Ishimaru would often catch himself staring at Mondo’s hands, and his eyes would get soft whenever Mondo spoke.  Mondo couldn’t look Ishimaru directly in the eye without shouting at him, but Kyoko said she’d caught him giving the same doe-eyed look Ishimaru gave him. 

 

Ishimaru had steadily been seeking more and more physical contact over the past few weeks.  Mondo turned beet-red any time Taka’s hand made contact with his skin, so he started shying away from the ‘brotherly’ touches.

 

Kyoko had cornered Makoto before leaving school that day with a plan.  Ishimaru and Mondo had planned a get-together with each other at the local roller-rink.  Just a ‘bro’s night out’, as they put it, but Kyoko believed it was going to end up as something more.

 

“Mondo’s been particularly avoidant of Taka lately.  If I had to guess, it’s because of his 10-girl losing streak.  He doesn’t want to risk losing Taka’s friendship if the other rejects him, which Mondo takes as granted.  Taka on the other hand has been more adamant about being around Mondo.  He’s always been physically affectionate, but this is a new level.  He clearly wants more but doesn’t know how to show it, so he’s taking every opportunity he can to get closer.”  Kyoko folded up her binoculars.

 

“And that’s where _we_ come in,” Makoto guessed.

 

“I’m not saying interfere directly, no.  If they know we’re here, Mondo will use it as an excuse to weasel out.  We can’t let that happen.  We’re here just to make sure everything goes smoothly.”  She stood from where she had been crouched near the side wall of the roller arena.  “They just went in, let’s go.”

 

Makoto stood and started following her to the entrance of the door.  Just before they hit the corner between the side wall and the front entrance, Kyoko whipped her arm out and pinned Makoto to the wall.

 

“Kyoko, wha-“

 

“Shh…”  She held a finger to her lips.  “Someone’s coming.”

 

They both fell silent, listening as the crickets chirped in the fall night.  Softly, leaves crunching could be heard as someone rounded the corner. 

 

Two familiar faces appeared rather suddenly and the two people they belonged two almost ran into Makoto and Kyoko.

 

“Eep!”  


“AH, SHIT!”

 

Chihiro and Leon both almost jumped out of their skin upon seeing the other two students.  They were oddly both dressed in all black; Chi forgoing his usual skirt for black pants. Leon though, had added his oversized safety pin oddly to the black t-shirt he was wearing.

 

After they had collected themselves, Kyoko released Makoto and asked, “What are you two doing here?”

 

“Oh don’t mind us, you two love birds,” Leon said with a wink.

 

“We’re here to make sure that Mondo and Taka confess tonight,” Chihiro stated determinedly, his hand balling up into little tiny fists.  “I’m friends with both of them and it’s driving me _nuts_ being between them!  I’m a perpetual third wheel.  Leon caught Mondo in the locker room today trying to practice his confession.”

 

Leon nodded, “He was so loud I was surprised the whole school didn’t hear him yelling about how pretty Ishimaru’s eyes are.”

 

“We want to see them happy!” Chihiro summarized.

 

“Yeah,” Leon agreed.  “Dumb-ass won’t stop talking about him.  If Mondo asks me ‘Leon, is it gay if I wanna kiss Taka’ one more time, I’m gonna scream.”

 

“Seems like we’re here for the same reason then,” Kyoko stated coolly.

 

Leon frowned, “Aw man, you guys aren’t dating?”

 

“N-NO!  Why would you-“  


"No, we’re not.”  
  


Leon scratched the back of his head and rolled his eyes at the denials.  “Yeah ok, sure.  Just don’t get in the way of the real romance that’s going to be happening tonight.”

 

“Not at all,” Kyoko smiled.  “We planned to merely observe that everything went smoothly.”

 

“Wait you guys don’t have a plan,” Leon seemed taken-aback.  “You’re just going to _watch_?  Didn’t take you for the voyeur type.”  Makoto immediately blushed and tried to deny it, but Kyoko just huffed softly.  “Nah!  Chi and I are here to actually enact our plan for _TOTAL ROMANCE_.”  He crossed his arms, seemingly pleased with himself.

 

Leon nudged Chihiro in the shoulder, “Show ‘em Chi.”

 

Chihiro slung a backpack off of his shoulder and unzipped it, producing a small tablet.  “Leon and I came here earlier today.  I hacked into the music and lighting system with Alter Ego.  Now I have remote control of all the effects of the building!”

 

“And _I_ made an awesome romantic playlist so those two can get their smooch on.”  Leon nodded matter-of-factly.  “We just have to wait for the perfect moment and then, BAM,” Chihiro jumped.  “Lights dim, music starts playing.  Insert soft filter over the camera as their eyes meet to the swell of the music.  And then we’re on our way to funkytown.”

 

“You really think that’s going to work?”  Makoto tried not to sound skeptical, but Leon wasn’t exactly the first person he’d go to for dating advice.

 

Leon pouted and crossed his arms, offended. “Total Eclipse of the Heart is a classic, man.”

 

“Regardless, don’t you all think we should go in before they actually finish their ‘get together’?”  Kyoko drew air quotes with her fingers.

 

“Not so fast kiddos,” a voice that paradoxically was both gravelly and smooth came from the darkness behind the high schoolers.  A man stepped out of the shadows, dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans with lavender eyes.  He had a strong jawline and his hair was styled similarly to Mondo’s but somehow came across as classier and less like corn.

 

“Who the fuck are _you_ ,” Leon challenged him.  “We’re on a super-important mission here.”

 

The man merely smiled.

 

“He’s Mondo’s brother,” Kyoko stated as if it should be obvious, which, in hindsight, it was.  They had the same build and same lavender eyes.  Leon immediately paled and started stammering out an apology, fearful of what an ex-gang member could do to him.  It was funny that he didn’t do the same thing with Mondo, despite the other actually still being a part of a gang.

 

“You guys must be Mondo’s classmates, right?”  Daiya asked, leaning against the wall of the roller rink.  “Other ‘ultimates’?”

 

“Well actually,” Makoto began but the other three cut him off by agreeing with the man with varying states of enthusiasm.

 

“Name’s Daiya Oowada, nice to meetcha’,” the man smiled.  Makoto was reminded of the first time he met Mondo, only Daiya seemed less overtly aggressive.  For some reason, it made Makoto more nervous.  “So, I doubt you guys are following my bro to get the jump on him, like to see you try actually, but then why _are_ you following Mondo.”

 

The four students remained silent, all giving each other glances out the side of their eyes.  Being gay was slowly becoming less of a stigma in Japan, but Mondo’s brother was an _ex-gang leader._ Would he think they were trying to make fun of his brother by suggesting he liked their _very male_ class rep? They didn’t even have any solid proof Mondo had a crush on Taka, just months of observing the two interacting.

 

Makoto expected Kyoko to explain, but it was Chihiro who spoke up.  “Uhm, Oowada-san…”

           

“Call me Daiya, kiddo.”

 

Chihiro gave a small smile.  “Daiya…have you heard of our classmate Kiyotaka Ishimaru?”

 

“You mean the hall monitor my bro’s got a big ol’ gay crush on and won’t shut his ass up about,” Daiya asked bluntly.

 

Leon, Makoto, and Chihiro were shocked into silence.  Kyoko, however, didn’t appear surprised.  “Wait, you _know_ about that,” Makoto asked.

 

Daiya gave him a lopsided grin.  “Of course, I do.  You’d be surprised what I know about Mon-chan.”

 

“Hehe… _Mon-chan_ …” Leon snickered behind his hand.

 

“We were just here tonight to make sure everything went smoothly.  They both clearly like each other and we just want them to be happy,” Chihiro piped up.

 

Daiya ruffled Chihiro’s hair.  “I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about kiddo,” he nodded to the entrance of the rink where Mondo and Ishimaru were exiting, both laughing good-naturedly.  Ishimaru had apparently injured himself and had ice strapped to his ankle.  Mondo was carrying him bridal-style, and once he made his way down the stairs, he shifted Ishimaru in his arms and kissed his nose.  Ishimaru closed his eyes and grinned, throwing his arms around Mondo’s neck and laughing gently.  Mondo squeezed him and pressed their foreheads together.

 

“Awwww,” Chihiro pressed his hands to his cheeks.   

 

Makoto smiled.  “Well, I guess they didn’t need us after all.”

 

“Indeed,” Kyoko mused, a small smile of her own dancing on her lips at the show of love between the two men.

 

“Glad to see the hours of flexing in front of the mirror did _something_ ,” Daiya laughed.

 

“Damn it!”  Leon slammed his fist against the wall of the roller rink.  “All that planning for nothing!  I bought a _whiteboard!”_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh I love writing Leon as a dumb-ass.  
> ALSO! DAIYA! He's not dead in some of these, so that's nice.
> 
> Come yell at me @GauntletKnight on tumblr or over on the discord.  
> To see other submissions or submit your own, go to @ishimondo-week on tumblr


	4. Day 4: Movie Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm a sucker for musicals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suggest listening to the Grease soundtrack, specifically "Summer Nights" and "Greased Lightnin'".  
> Oh and if you want my hc for Mondo's singing voice, listen to "Beauty School Dropout"  
> This one's so fluffy it's going to rot my teeth out.

 

Mondo snuck up behind Taka carefully.  He had to be quiet if this was going to work.

 

"Mondo, is the popcorn done?  I can’t hear the microwave anymore,” Taka called out, inadvertently hurting Mondo’s ears as the other man was no longer in the kitchen but right behind him.  He didn’t respond, instead picking up a piece of popcorn from the bowl and flicking it at the back of Taka’s head.

 

Taka jumped with a shout and rubbed the back of his neck as the popcorn fell to the floor.  Their dog, a fluffy white mop of fur named Charlie, scampered over and snatched the piece up, chomping happily on it.  Mondo chuckled and reached down, patting her on the head.

 

Taka twisted around and gave Mondo a critical look.  “You could have just answered me,” he pouted.

 

"Yeah, I suppose,” Mondo conceded, “but where’s the fun in that.”  Taka just rolled his eyes.

 

“What did you have planned for the movie,” Taka asked as Mondo finally came around the side of the couch and sat next to him.  They had movie nights quite often, usually switching who chose the movies week to week.  Last time, Taka had chosen a documentary on the economic climate in America.  It had apparently won all sorts of awards, but was _not_ Mondo’s thing.  He’d fallen asleep about 15 minutes in and had woken up with his head in Taka’s lap, unceremoniously drooling on his boyfriend’s thigh.  Taka hadn’t seemed to mind, stroking his hand through Mondo’s hair, lost in thought.

 

Tonight, Mondo was _determined_ to stay awake, and because it was his choice, he chose something he was sure to stay awake to.  He grinned, “You’ll see.  Aniki and I used to watch this when I was sick and had to stay home from school.  I always tried singing along but most of the time I ended up in a coughing fit and aniki would bust a gut laughing at me.”

 

Taka appeared surprised.  “It’s a musical?”

 

“Yeah,” Mondo reached between the couch cushions, searching for the remote; handing Taka the popcorn bowl.  “Why, you don’t like musicals,” he asked, finally pulling out the remote.

 

“N-no,” Ishimaru denied, “It’s just surprising to me that _you_ like them.  I hadn’t thought you would.”

 

“What?  Of course, I do!  Daiya had whole collections of them.  I’ve never sung for you?”

 

Taka blinked, shocked, “You can _sing?_ ”

 

Mondo grinned wolfishly as the movie opened to jazz horns and drums.  And Taka felt his stomach fall out from under him.  Oh, that could _not_ be good.

 

After the opening song, which Mondo, thankfully, did not sing along to, there was a scene with two people walking along a beach.  It was fairly romantic, with the two promising to never forget each other.  The movie then faded into what looked like a high school.  Taka _immediately_ understood why Mondo liked this musical in particular.

 

The boy from the first scene had reappeared, dressed in a leather jacket.  His hair had been ‘greased’ as the first song professed, into a pompadour, and he was hanging around other similarly dressed men.  The group immediately gave Taka the same feeling he got when he had first seen Mondo walking through the halls of Hope’s Peak.  _Delinquents_.

 

He didn’t have time to dwell on why a musical was telling the story of these delinquents, because at that moment, the girl from the first scene reappeared and the next song started.  And with it, Mondo started singing as well.

 

Taka didn’t know what he expected Mondo’s singing voice to sound like, but he definitely wasn’t expecting the smooth bass that came from the other man as he sang along with the men in the musical.

 

“ _Summer lovin’, had me a bla-ast…_ ”

 

In response to Taka’s earlier question, yes, yes Mondo _could_ sing.  _Quite_ well.  He found himself ignoring the movie in favor of watching his boyfriend sing.  The way his mouth shaped around the words and the muscles in his neck stretched and flexed for different tones.  Before he knew it, the song ended with Mondo hitting a jazzy note, and the movie continued.

 

Mondo glanced over at Taka and grinned.  “Told you I could sing.”

 

Taka blinked, stunned.  “Mondo, I’ve known you for _years_.  How have I never heard you sing?”

 

Mondo flushed red and looked away, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully.  “I uh, don’t usually do it in front of other people.  I’ve got a reputation to uphold after all.”

 

Taka gave him a perplexed look, gesturing dramatically to the television.  “But _they’re_ singing!”

 

“Well, yeah but-“

 

“Hush!  You have a talent and it is your duty to develop that talent!  You could have been the Ultimate vocalist!  This will not stand!”

 

Mondo, where he would normally groan and gripe about Taka’s need to lecture him on hard work, merely smirked, pushing down a blush.  “And you liking my singing has nothing to do with it right?”

 

Taka immediately blanched and turned away.  “R-right, of course.”  Mondo didn’t reply, but his smile widened as he turned back to the movie.

 

The movie continued on without incident for a while.  Taka got pretty invested in the story, relating heavily to Sandy, the earlier girl.  She was a sweet girl who just wanted to do well in school.  So, what if she didn’t want to smoke and drink!

 

He didn’t notice the smile on Mondo’s face growing with every passing song until…

 

“ _Why this car could be automatic.”_

Mondo stood from the couch on the music strike.

 

 _“Systematic._ ”

 

He extended his hand to Ishimaru, again on the music strike.

 

 _“Hyyyyydromatic~_ ”

 

Taka gently put his hand into Mondo’s, confused as to what the other was doing.  He yelped as Mondo roughly pulled him to his feet and gave him a look that could only be described as “joyful.”

 

_“Why it’s GREASED LIGHTNIN’!”_

 

The song officially started.  Mondo slung his hand around Ishimaru’s hip and extended their grasped hands so the two were in a dancing position.  He then led his boyfriend around their small living room in an energetic, if inaccurate, mix between a jive and a foxtrot while the movie played on in the background. 

 

Mondo sung breathlessly, trying to sing multiple overlapping parts at once as they twirled and hopped around furniture, Taka laughing loudly the entire way in a way that made Mondo’s heart spark.  At the point in the song where the clapping started, Mondo dipped Taka and then hoisted him up into a lift.  Unfortunately, Taka was laughing too hard for Mondo to get a good enough grip on the, admittedly lightweight, man.

 

“Ah _shit!_ ”

 

Together they toppled over onto the floor, thankfully missing hitting any of the furniture too hard.  Taka landed on Mondo with an “oof”, the music continuing in the background.  The two men blinked at each other, before breaking out into peals of laughter.  Whenever one of them was about to stop, they’d make eye contact with the other and start all over again.  Charlie came over and started licking both of them, concerned, which just made them both laugh even harder.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HURK! THEY'RE TOO CUTE!
> 
> Come yell at me @GauntletKnight on tumblr or the discord, and go to @ishimondo-week on tumblr to see the prompts and other submissions!


	5. Day 5: Valentine's Day!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taka's got chocolates! But who are they from? Mondo doesn't know, and he doesn't care...right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alt title: Mondo is a disaster bi and I write him that way because I'm a disaster pan

 

 

“Hey Kyoudai, what’cha got there?”

 

Kiyotaka Ishimaru shrieked shrilly and threw what he had in his hands into his locker, immediately slamming the door with a loud bang.  “AH! HELLO KYOUDAI!”  He positioned himself directly in front of the locker and attempted to look nonchalant.  “Absolutely nothing!  I have no idea what you’re talking about, I’m not hiding anything! Hahahaha!”

 

Mondo raised an eyebrow.  He had always known Taka was a bad liar, but this was just sad.  He was sweating profusely.  His smile was just on this side of too wide and he refused to make eye contact with the boy in front of him.

 

“O…kay?”  Mondo decided to drop it for now, leaning in and opening his own locker.  “We still on tonight for our bros’ valentine’s movie night?”

 

Taka’s eyes shifted to his locker, but he made no moves to open it.  “Uh, yes!  O-of course!”

 

Mondo gave Taka a look.  “Bro…you ok?  You seem kinda on-edge today.”

 

Ishimaru laughed nervously.  “AhAHaHa, of course I am!  What would make you say that?”  He was as pale as a sheet.

 

Mondo closed his locker and slung his bag over his shoulder, giving Taka a once-over.  “Taka, you know you can tell me anything, right?”

 

Something in Taka’s face shifted, and he met Mondo’s eyes for the first time that morning.  He looked like he was just about to say something, but his eyes slid away, reconsidering.

 

Mondo sighed and patted Taka’s head, running his hand through the other’s soft spikes.

 

He rather disliked Valentine’s Day.  It was just another reminder to him that he was on a now-11 girl losing streak.  He’d always get nervous and end up yelling at them.  It had been the same ever since he was a little kid.  He’d never gotten chocolates from a girl unless they were supplied for the whole class, and he was finally starting to get used to it.

 

It helped that he had Taka now.  The two men got together on Valentine’s Day to watch shitty action movies and eat junk food…well, as much junk food as Taka would allow.  He had shitty luck with girls, and Taka professed that even if a girl _was_ interested in him, he was far too busy for a relationship.

 

Which was why it came as such a shock to Mondo when, as he was walking away from the lockers, he saw Taka pull out a box of homemade chocolates.

 

_What?  Taka had gotten chocolates?  From a girl?_

 

Something in his stomach twisted into a sickening knot.

  

* * *

 

 

Mondo spent the rest of the day in an irritable fog.  It wasn’t unusual for him to be in a bad mood, but something about the aura he was giving off made people give him a wide berth.

 

Who gave Taka chocolates? Did she _really_ like him? Did she know that today was _their day_ to just hang out and bond?  Was she trying to get between them? Would Taka love her so much he’d spend all his time with her and have no time for Mondo?

 

"Dude." 

 

He whipped his head around to glare at whomever had made the foolish decision to approach him.  Seeing the bright red hair of Leon Kuwata did not ease his mood in the slightest.  “What,” he growled out.

 

Leon gave him a look.  “I know you don’t like Valentine’s Day, but you’re being extra mopey today.  It’s kinda depressing.  Cheer up.”

 

Mondo grumbled and resumed his brooding. “Shut up, Leon.”

 

“I thought you were over this when you and Mr. Hardass decided to do your ‘bro’s night in’ or whatever.”

 

At the mention of Taka, Mondo sunk even further into his slouch.  “He’s probably not coming tonight…he got chocolates from a girl this morning.”  That was probably why he had been hiding them, didn’t want Mondo to feel bad when he missed their night together.

 

Instead of teasing him that ‘Mr. Hardass’ got a date on Valentine’s day before Mondo himself did, Leon’s brows knitted together.  “That’s weird…”

 

Mondo sighed.  “Leon I know you don’t like him, but he’s actually really nice, I’m sure the ladies are-”

 

“No, that’s not what I meant.”  Leon shook his head, cutting Mondo off.  “What I meant was, that’s weird because I’m pretty sure everyone who knows him to some degree knows that Ishimaru already has a ginormous crush on someone.  He’s been pining after them for years now so it’s weird that someone else is giving him chocolates.”

 

“Well,” Mondo sputtered, “Maybe that’s who gave him chocolates! And I’m his best bro, how come I don’t know about this fuckin’ crush or whatever.  He’s never told _me_ about it!”

 

Leon gave him an unimpressed look and paused for a second before rolling his eyes.  “No, I can guarantee you the person who Taka has a crush on didn’t give him the chocolate.”

 

“How the fuck would _you_ know,” Mondo crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair.

 

Leon looked like he was praying for strength from every deity he could think of.  “Because it’s _you_ , ya dumb-ass!”

           

Mondo’s eyebrows arched.  _What_?  Taka had a crush on _him_?  He huffed and looked away from Leon.  “C’mon man, that shit ain’t funny.”

 

“Mondo, I’m not joking,” Leon said, more serious than Mondo ever remembered him looking.  “I mean have you _seen_ the way he looks at you?”

 

Mondo’s heart was hammering in his ears and the knot that had lodged itself in his stomach that morning twisted painfully.  “We’re just bros!  Nothing more, ok?”  His voice was starting to climb in volume.  He didn’t know how Leon had found out his secret, but using it against him was a low blow.

 

Leon’s eyes softened.  “Do _you_ want to be more?”

 

Mondo’s hands balled into fists.  He wasn’t about to tell Leon anything about that; he wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.  He wouldn’t say anything about what he thought about at night, looking at the ceiling and wishing the other boy was wrapped around him, how soft his lips looked when he rambled on about some formula they had learned the day previously, how much he wanted to build a house for the _both_ of them instead of just Taka.  He _especially_ wasn’t going to admit what he thought about during his more…private moments.

 

However, his silence only seemed to confirm Leon’s question.  With a soft pat to the shoulder, Leon said, “It’ll work out man.  You’ll see.”

 

* * *

 

 

Mondo was never one to make good decisions.  It wasn’t something he _did._   So after classes wrapped up for the day, he went back to his room, reached into his stash of not-quite-legal-on-school-grounds alcohol and started drinking.  If Taka wasn’t going to come and spend the night with him, he was at least going to make sure he was drunk enough to not remember spending the night crying alone.

 

On his third beer, there was a knock at his door.  He ignored it, but the knocking came again, more sharply this time.

 

With a loud groaning, he eased himself out of his chair and threw open the door.  “What,” he snarled, lip curling, before pulling back when he realized who was on the other side.

 

Taka stood on the other side of the door frame, hand poised to knock again, but the other was firmly behind his back. His face was red with a deep blush that ran across his cheeks and down his neck.  He jumped considerably when the door swung open, startled like a rabbit in a garden.

 

 “Ah, Oowada-kun…h-hello.”

 

Mondo’s brows knit together at the obvious disuse of their nicknames for each other.  Taka _never_ used just his last name, or rather, he hadn’t since they had become kyoudais.  The use of his last name in such a formal manner was jarring to say the least; he didn’t know how to react.  “T-Taka wh-“

 

Ishimaru held up a hand, essentially cutting Mondo off, and the taller boy quieted.

 

“I had planned to do this earlier this morning, but…”  He took a deep breath, steeling himself, his shoulders tensing.  He looked up, his scarlet eyes locking with Mondo’s lavender ones.

 

“Mondo Oowada-kun!” Mondo winced, Taka was practically shouting at him now.  He was using the voice he used when going after someone running in the halls.  “Ah, um…I apologize.”

 

He took, and Mondo gave him, a minute to compose himself before continuing.  “We are very close.  I have always considered you my closest and first friend, and I would never want to compromise that for the world.  B-but…

 

He screwed his eyes shut.  “I’m afraid I’ve developed feelings for you!  Feelings that are…that I’ve been informed are more than friendly.”  Mondo’s mouth dropped open as Taka produced the homemade chocolates from behind his back; the same ones he had tried to hide that morning. 

 

“Please accept my feelings,” Taka shouted nervously, bowing and thrusting the chocolates out towards Mondo.  “If you do not think of me in such a way, then do not feel bad about rejecting my confession!  I will strive to overcome them and be the best kyoudai for you!”

 

Taka stood, still bowing and presenting the chocolates, immaculately wrapped in a red box.  When Mondo didn’t respond immediately, Taka’s hands started shaking.  “I-If this is too much and…you do not wish to speak to me again, I would understand.” 

 

He stood, biting his lip and drawing into himself.  “I…understand that a romantic relationship with another man c-could…be seen unfavorably.  Especially by someone in such a rank as yourself.  But I…”  He looked up briefly before his eyes snapped back down and to the side.  Tears were starting to bubble over his lashes.  “I should go.”

           

He drew the box back to his chest and immediately turned, briskly walking away, shoulders tense.  It was at this point that Mondo’s mind caught up with him after the shock of what had just happened. 

 

“Kiyotaka, _wait_!”  Mondo ran after the other boy but Taka sped up, attempting to out-pace him.  For the first time in his life, Mondo was thankful that Taka was so anal about not running in the halls, as his speed-walking was no match for Mondo’s long strides at a run.

 

He grabbed Taka’s arm, but the other boy jerked away.  “Please…” he said softly, in a tone of voice Mondo had never heard before.  “Oowada-kun don’t feel like you have to console me.  I…I would like to be left alone right now.”

 

“Damn it Taka, that’s not why I ran after ya!”  Mondo turned himself so he was in front of Ishimaru.  He grasped onto Taka’s shoulders, just barely stopping himself from shaking the other.  “Y’just caught me off guard y’know?  And I never thought that anyone would ev-  Would’ja look at me?  Please?”

 

Taka sighed and lifted his eyes, his head still hanging low.

 

“Do you mean it…y…y’like me?”  Mondo’s voice came out shaky.  Something on his face must have made Taka pause, because the next words out of Taka’s mouth shocked Mondo.  

 

“I love you, Mondo.”

 

Mondo’s eyes widened.  Taka…loved him?

 

Carefully, as if he was dealing with a small baby bird, Mondo reached out and cupped the sides of Taka’s head, rubbing a thumb under the other’s eye to brush away the tears accumulating there.  Without thinking about it, the hand caressed down Taka’s cheek to the other’s chin, gently lifting it.  They locked eyes, each understanding what was about to happen, there was a bit of nervousness there as neither had done this before, but also a sense of stability.

 

Slowly, giving Taka time to back out if he really wanted, Mondo closed the gap between them.

 

The box of chocolates fell from Taka’s grip to scatter on the floor.

 

It was chaste.  Nothing too extreme or racy, but so much more than just a peck. Taka’s lips were soft, and yielded against his own.  It was warm and gentle, but Mondo could tell the warmth was just the surface heat of the fire that raged through them both.  Taka leant into him just a bit, relaxing more than Mondo ever thought the other would be capable, and then it was over, just as fast as it had begun.

 

Mondo pulled back, face feeling hot.  Taka was similarly flushed.  “M-Mondo…you…does this mean…?”

 

Mondo smiled and hugged Taka close to him.  “Yeah, I love ya too…”

 

Taka started crying again, but Mondo knew this time that they were happy tears as Taka laughed through the heavy drops streaming down his face.  Mondo kissed his forehead gently.

 

“Oh no,” Taka sniffed, eventually pulling himself away from Mondo once he had cried himself out.  “I carelessly dropped your chocolates, I’m so sorry!”  He rubbed the heel of his palm over one eye.  “I didn’t mean to, I just-“ he blushed.

 

Mondo chuckled to himself.  “S’ok Taka, we can just make s’more together.”

 

 

           

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!  
> Remember the person you need to love the most is yourself!
> 
> Come yell at me @GauntletKnight on tumblr or the discord, and go to @ishimondo-week on tumblr to see the prompts and more submissions!


	6. Day 6: Double Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taka and Mondo go out with one of Taka's coworkers and his husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh...this chapter is so self-indulgent
> 
> If you don't know who Jed and Octavius are, they're the cowboy and Roman from Night at the Museum. The ship that everyone shipped before any of us knew what shipping was.
> 
> I have a pic somewhere of Taka dressed as Oct and Mondo as Jed.

 

 

“Ok, now Mondo don’t forget we’re there for a business meeting.  I’m sure Mr. Caesar is a very busy man.  He’s doing me such a favor by meeting with us.  Oh God this is my first time officially meeting with a foreign dignitary, I’m going to throw up.”

 

“Babe.”

 

“Mondo, do I look like I’m going to throw up?  Do we have a bucket?”

 

“Babe.”

 

 “He’s such a professional man, and he’s so influential in America! What if I accidentally sever ties with our closest trading partner! Mondo, I _can’t do this!_ ”

 

“ _Kiyotaka!_ ”

 

“ _WHAT?”_

 

Mondo grabbed both sides of Taka’s head and brought him in for a rough kiss, essentially shutting him up.  Taka whined softly in protest but sank into the kiss gratefully.  Mondo’s hands made their way into his hair, gently massaging the scalp in the way he knew calmed the other down.  Slowly, the tension in Taka’s shoulders melted away, and when Mondo finally parted the kiss, Taka looked significantly better than he had previously.  He was still pale, but his pupils weren’t constricted in panic anymore.

 

“Babe listen to me, ok?”  Mondo reached down and picked up Taka’s hands in his own.  “It’s _not_ a business meeting.  We’re just meeting for dinner because What’s-his-face-”

 

“Mr. Caesar.”

 

Mondo leveled Taka with a look before continuing, “Wanted to have a friendly dinner and meet us.  I was there when he asked you.”  Taka started fidgeting again, pulling at and fixing Mondo’s already impeccable tie.  Mondo had to grab his hands again.  “If it _was_ a business meeting, he wouldn’t have told you to bring me, and _he_ wouldn’t be bringing his _own_ husband.”

 

"But that’s another thing!  Mr. Caesar is so distinguished!  His husband probably is too!  What if I run out of things to talk about!  They’re _American_ Mondo! _American_!  I’ve never even been to America! I can study all I like but at the end of the day-“

 

Mondo sighed deeply and kissed the back of Taka’s hand, slowly moving his way up the other’s arm to his collarbone.  He unbuttoned the first button of the other man’s dress shirt and gently kissed and nibbled at the jut of bone there until Taka wasn’t rambling anymore, but was instead letting out little heated breaths.  Mondo hummed and traced his tongue over the small mark he’d left before standing back up and re-buttoning Taka’s shirt.

 

“Don’t worry baby,” he smoothed back Taka’s hair from where it had fell out of his carefully-gelled precision.  “You’ve got this.”

 

* * *

 

 

Mr. Octavius Caesar was a pretty decent guy as far as Mondo was concerned.  He was a senator for New York in America, and also worked part-time as an ambassador to Japan.  He reminded Mondo a lot of what a father should be like; calm and firm, but also warm and inviting.  He liked rigidity and order, much like Taka did.

 

As such, both parties arrived at the restaurant at precisely 6 on the dot.

 

Mr. Caesar was easy to spot, his dark, but graying, hair slicked back, and dressed in a red dress shirt with black slacks.  He had a very stately presence that drew your eye to him.  Beside him was a man Mondo didn’t recognize with long sandy blonde hair pulled back into a low ponytail and cornflower blue eyes.  He was pulling uncomfortably at the blue tie around his neck, and Mondo immediately related to the man’s struggle.

 

“Ah, Mr. Ishimaru!” Mr. Caesar bowed deeply and Taka reciprocated the gesture.  “It’s so wonderful to see you outside of the embassy!”  He extended a hand and Taka took it, shaking it firmly.

 

“Same to you Mr. Caesar!”

 

The older man laughed softly.  “Please, call me Octavius.”

 

Taka stiffened, and Mondo immediately knew his husband had taken the comment the wrong way.  “Ah, I’m terribly sorry!  Feel free to call me Kiyotaka then!”

 

Octavius nodded and gave a bright smile.  “Alright, then Kiyotaka, I would like to introduce you to my husband, Jed.”  He gestured at the blond man at his side who nodded to Taka and Mondo, extending a handshake to the former.

 

“And this is my husband, Mondo.” 

 

The blond man inclined his head like he was used to having a hat to tip.  “S’a pleasure, boys.”

 

Both Japanese men were taken aback a bit.  Octavius’ husband sounded like he had an accent.  Like those cowboys in the old films they’d sometimes watch in language class.  _Western,_ Taka’s brain helpfully supplied.

 

Once the pleasantries were exchanged, the two couples made their way into the restaurant.  It wasn’t overly-fancy by any means, despite their all dressing for the occasion.  It was a small, intimate pub with a bar along one wall and tables spanning out around the rest of the restaurant.  A small stage was set into the far corner where a band was playing light music.

 

Dinner went well, in spite of Taka’s earlier worrying.  Mondo quickly found common ground with Jed, the two of them laughing over different escapades.  Jed apparently worked a farm in northern New York.  While his husband spent most of his day in the city, with men in suits, the blond man preferred the open air.  He taught kids how to ride horses on the weekend.  Mondo discussed his years as a biker, but he and Jed disagreed on which type of manufacturer was better.  Harley his _ass._

 

Eventually though, they settled on carpentry and their husbands as common topics.

 

Speaking of their husbands, the other two men were talking animatedly about…traffic policy?  Mondo laughed and took another sip of his beer.  Damn they were married to a couple of nerds.  Jed seemed to have a similar opinion, chuckling softly to himself.  “We hated each otha t’begin with,” he confessed, eyes softening as he looked at his husband.  “Thought he was stuffier than a Thanksgivin’ turkey.”

 

“Heh, I’ll drink to that,” Mondo raised his beer.  “Thought the same about Taka when we first met.  Had to get locked in a sauna with the guy before we even became friends.”

 

Jed gave him a perplexed look.  “Now, that’s a story I’ve gotta hear.”

 

* * *

 

 

None of them were quite sure when the band left and the pub shifted over to karaoke.  The first couple of singers were fairly quiet and halfway decent; enough so that Taka and Octavius could continue their conversation without interruption.

 

Well, that is until a pair of two very loud, very drunk, men took the stage.

 

“Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood evening! How’re y’all doin’?”  A western drawl carried over their discussion.  Clapping followed the question, some patrons hooting.  Octavius immediately tensed and his head whipped to his left, only to find that his husband was no longer sitting next to him.  Taka did the same, Mondo no longer on his right.

 

“This one goes out to our two fuckin’ hot-ass husbands!”

 

“Heh, _hot-ass_.”

 

“Shaaaaaaaaaaaddup y’cowboy soundin’ ass.”

 

Octavius and Taka looked at each other, both imitating each other’s cringing.  With a long-suffering sigh from both men, they turned to the stage where their drunk husbands were hanging off of each other, each holding a microphone.

 

“Hey Octy!  Y’hear that?  Y’gotta hot ass!” Jed called, waving from the stage.  Several patrons turned and chuckled at the poor man’s expense.

 

Octavius spluttered and his face colored to match his shirt.  He groaned and buried his face in his hands.  Taka patted him on the shoulder in solidarity.

 

“Shhhhhhhhhhh!”  Mondo shushed the shorter man.  “Song’s startin y’dumnuts. Y’can flirt with y’husband later like the rest of us, kay?”

 

Jed hummed an agreement, and Mondo started singing, “Iiiif I, should stay.  I would onlllyyy be in your waaaaa-aaayyyy~”

 

Jed picked up on the next line.  “So I’ll gooooo but I knooow.  I’ll think of youuuu, every step of…the waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.”

 

Both men took a deep breath, and sang, louder than absolutely necessary.  “AND IIIIIIIIIIIIIII WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!”

 

Taka and Octavius both made a vow that night to never leave their husbands alone with each other, ever again.  Their dignity couldn’t take it.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come yell at me @GauntletKnight on tumblr or over on the discord  
> Go to @ishimondo-week on tumblr to see more submissions and the prompts
> 
> Tomorrow is the last day!!!


	7. Day 7: Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The entirety of the Ishimaru-Oowada extended family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last day! I'm going to actually miss this! This was a lot of fun to write all of these out, even if I did burn myself out a little bit last week.
> 
> Thank you for hanging out with me, and happy Ishimondo Week!

 

 

Takaaki Ishimaru was proud of his son. 

 

Well actually, he was _always_ proud of his son, but now, standing in front of a modest but comfortable abode, such a far cry from the hovel they had both lived in previously, the only feeling he had was a deep warm pride spreading out from the center of his chest.

           

“Are you just going to stand there all day, or am I going to see my grandson sometime in the next century,” Hiroko joked from his side.  He gave her a soft smile and she looped her arm around his own, marching them towards the door.

 

So much had happened over the last couple of years.  One day, his son had come to him, in tears, but still managing to hold his head high.  He’d informed Takaaki shakily that he was in love with a man, and not just any man, but the leader of the notorious Crazy Diamonds. 

 

Both as a detective, and as a father, he’d been concerned.  Had this boy swayed his son into a relationship to get special privileges?  Was he going to pressure Kiyotaka into doing something he didn’t want to?  Was Kiyotaka going to end up like those mob boss wives on television with a back full of tattoos and chain smoking while heavily muscled gang members leered at him?

 

Ok, in hindsight, that last one might have been a bit of an exaggeration.

 

Kiyotaka had apparently just been concerned that Takaaki wouldn’t accept the fact he was gay.  Had Takaaki been a different man, maybe he wouldn’t have.  Maybe he would have thrown his only son onto the streets, letting him fend for himself against a world that he knew more than anyone, didn’t conform to Kiyotaka’s morals. 

 

But no. 

 

He was Takaaki Ishimaru.  His own father had been an absolute shithead; borderline abusive with the way he handled his family matters.  Constantly lecturing Takaaki about their family legacy, making an impact on the world.  Yeah, his father had certainly done that, hadn’t he?  Forced him to raise his own son in poverty, teaching him frugality and never being able to get him the things Kiyotaka _deserved_.

 

He was glad to see Kiyotaka finally happy.  He’d done it, become the first openly gay prime minister in Japan’s history, one of the only ones in the _world_ for that matter.  He’d given a new meaning to their family name; redeemed it in the eyes of many.  Of course, he’d had dissenters, but the vast majority of the country held that he was the best prime minister they’d ever had.

 

One of the many landmarks of his time in office was the legalization of same-sex marriage.  Not long after the bill had passed through Parliament, Takaaki had gotten an invitation.  A wedding invitation.

 

It had been a fairly quiet and informal event.  The press had wanted to swarm it, of course, but a woman named Mukuro Ikusaba had provided security detail on top of the secret service and bodyguards already in attendance.  The name itself was enough to make the press dogs think twice about flooding the ceremony.

 

Takaaki didn’t think he’d ever seen his son so happy before, not even when he’d received his acceptance from Hope’s Peak.  He was positively shining, all smiles and happy tears as he grasped onto the arm of his new husband.

 

It was at the reception that Takaaki had met Hiroko Hagakure, who would later become Hiroko Ishimaru. 

 

It turned out Kiyotaka wasn’t the only Ishimaru man with a taste for ex-gang leaders.  It was odd, falling in love again so late in life.  Takaaki would always love his first wife, Kiyotaka’s mother, but Hiroko was a force to be reckoned with.  She’d been a teen mom, but had dedicated herself to her son; working hard to become a nurse after the boy’s father ran out on them.  She was headstrong, brash, and beautiful.  Takaaki wondered exactly why a woman like her had agreed to marry a man like him, but here they were.

 

She hit the doorbell on the house and steps could be heard coming to answer it.  The door swung inwards to reveal Kiyotaka, standing in a crisp shirt and a pair of nice slacks.  He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, a blur of purple shot out through the door and tackled both Hiroko and Takaaki by the legs.

 

“Grandma! Grandfather!” 

 

Hiroko chuckled and lifted up their grandson, “Hello to you too kiddo!”

 

“Happy birthday Kaito-kun.”  Takaaki reached over and ruffled his grandson’s hair.  “Have you had a good day so far?”

 

The small boy eagerly bobbed his head, “They held a party for me at school today!  Shuichi-kun brought in a cake for me and everyone to share and Maki-chan gave me a _kiss_ right here,” he pointed at his cheek and pretended to gag, before “whispering”, “I know Dad told me that cooties don’t exist but I don’t wanna chance it.”

 

Takaaki huffed a laugh and gave his wife a look.  “I think you’ll be ok.”

 

Kaito was 7 now; already so different from the toddler Kiyotaka and Mondo had adopted.  Whereas the boy was once suspicious and quiet, he was now rambunctious and energetic.  His favorite thing in the whole world was space, and he’d frequently talk about how he was going to be the youngest person in space.  Ambitious, just like his father.

 

“Oh, oh!”  Kaito squirmed from where he was in Hiroko’s arms and she put him down.  “Come in, I wanna show you my presents!”

 

Kiyotaka coughed and shot Kaito a look.  “Oh yeah! Please!”  Kiyotaka smiled softly and nodded down to his son, who then proceeded to drag Takaaki by the hand into the house.

 

“Oh hey, you guys made it,” Mondo remarked from where he was sitting in an armchair.  He smiled just a fraction wider at Hiroko than Takaaki who silently laughed to himself at the difference.  Even after all these years, the other man was still intimidated by him.

 

The small boy dragged his grandfather into the living room, to the rather impressive stack of presents.  Curled up on the couch were two other people, both of whom Takaaki recognized.  The man sitting down was Daiya Oowada, founder of the Crazy Diamonds, though the man had definitely matured since his days in a motorcycle gang.  He was no longer sporting a pompadour, but instead had decided to keep his hair tied back, in a similar fashion Mondo had once sported before cutting it shorter, but still not short enough in Takaaki’s opinion.  He nodded at Takaaki as he entered, no intimidation in contrast to his brother.

 

The woman next to him, Takaaki recognized from the forensic division from work.  She was a soft-looking woman with pale skin, chestnut hair, and blue eyes; motherly in disposition.  However, he’d also come into the autopsy bay one day to see her elbow deep in a body cavity.  The dichotomy of such a cheerful woman covered in blood had been odd.

 

He wondered briefly why she was here, but then noticed her snuggle closer to the older Oowada brother.  A small diamond ring glinted on her left hand, which he hadn’t noticed at first.  Ah.

 

“So Dad and Pops got me this really cool nasa shirt, a lego set, and a book about this group of kids who all go to space, and it’s not totally accurate because they battle aliens, but it’s pretty good so far.  Shuichi got me these really cool plastic stars that you put on the ceiling and Pops told me I can put them up tonight if I really wanna but I wanna sleep under the _actual_ stars tonight.” 

 

He rummaged a bit through the pile, producing a couple more books and several more t-shirts.  “Oh, oh!  Uncle Daiya got me this awesome helmet for my bike!  It’s got the andromeda galaxy on it!  See?”  He thrust the helmet in his grandfather’s direction.  Well at least the older Oowada was finally promoting bike safety, Takaaki chuckled to himself.  Daiya caught the action and shrugged, smiling.  “And Aunt Lizzie made me cookies with star sprinkles, but Dad told me I can’t have any until after dinner.

 

Kaito looked around.  “Didn’t Uncle Hiro come with you,” he asked Hiroko.  She shook her head.  “Sorry cutie, but he had to work on his TV show.  He’s all the way in America.”

 

Kaito’s eyes shone.  “Do you think if I ask him, he’d bring _me_ next time?”

 

Hiroko laughed and knelt down next to her husband.  “Maybe when you get older your parents will let you go.”

 

Kaito pouted, but quickly brightened.  “I’m already seven!  So it should be soon, right?!”

 

“Sure, kiddo,” Hiroko said at the same time that Kiyotaka yelled “Absolutely not” from the kitchen.

 

“Did’ja wanna open our gift too,” she asked the boy, to which he enthusiastically bobbed his head.  “Yeah!”

 

Hiroko looked to her husband who produced an envelope.  “Happy birthday Kaito.”

 

Kaito opened the envelope with as much excitement a seven-year-old given a present could muster: a lot.  Eventually though, he got it open and unfolded the paper inside.  As he read what was written on it, his eyes got bigger and bigger.  “You gave me a _star_.  An _actual_ star?”

 

Hiroko nodded, “It’s named after you, Kaito sweetie!”

 

Kaito’s eyes started to fill with tears, and for a second, Takaaki had a flashback to many years ago when Taka had given him that same face upon realizing he would be going to Hope’s Peak.  For the second time that day, Kaito launched himself at his grandparents, tackling them in a hug, and everyone who witnessed it smiled or laughed at the boy’s antics.

 

Takaaki didn’t know what he deserved to be a part of such a wonderful and big family, but as he hugged his grandson close to himself and his wife, he thought that it really didn’t matter.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I totally didn't insert myself in here...nope. No idea what you're talking about.
> 
> Come yell at me @GauntletKnight on tumblr or over on the discord. Go to @ishimondo-week to see other submissions and the prompts!
> 
> If you liked this, go check out my other fic: What We Could Have Been!


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